Whooping cough vaccine now available for pregnant women at walk-in clinics in LLR

Health leaders in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR) are urging all pregnant women and mothers of newborn babies to get their free whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine, ideally during pregnancy or before their child is two months old, to help protect them. To support women to access the vaccine closer to home or in a more convenient location the whooping cough vaccine is now available on a walk-in basis at all vaccine clinics on the roving health unit (RHU) that are operating across the city and counties during the summer.

Newborn and young babies are most vulnerable from becoming seriously unwell from whooping cough but if pregnant women get vaccinated any time after 16 weeks of pregnancy, they can pass immunity to their babies which will give them the best possible protection from birth.

Dr Virginia Ashman, GP, and clinical lead for the vaccination programme in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland said: “Whooping cough is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. It spreads very easily and can be particularly serious for newborn and very young babies. Infants with whooping cough may suddenly have difficulty breathing and can turn blue or grey. They also have an increased chance of developing problems such as, dehydration, pneumonia, or seizures (fits). It’s not always easy to tell if a baby is suffering from whooping cough as babies don’t necessarily make the “whoop” noise in the same way an older child or some adults would.”

Babies are likely to require hospital treatment if they contract whooping cough and in some severe cases it can be fatal. Dr Ashman continues: “Because of how infectious whooping cough is, it can be passed very easily within families from grandparents and parents to babies and beyond. This is why the vaccine during pregnancy is so important as it will help to protect babies from becoming seriously unwell.”

The roving health unit (RHU) clinics that are happening across the city and counties throughout the summer are accessible on a walk-in basis, with no appointment necessary. On the roving health unit, the whooping cough vaccinations are available for:

• Pregnant women any time after 16 weeks of pregnancy (but ideally given between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy for best effect).
• Mothers with an infant less than two months of age who did not receive the vaccination during their pregnancy.

A full schedule of the RHU clinics can be found by visiting: www.leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/nhs-vaccinations/. Whooping cough and other routine vaccinations are also available by contacting your midwife or GP practice.

Dr Ashman concludes: “Amongst the unvaccinated it only takes one case in a community for it to spread rapidly, that’s why we are urging pregnant women to be vaccinated to ensure that the youngest and most vulnerable in our communities are immunised. Babies are then routinely offered their own series of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines at their GP surgery from eight weeks of age. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy your midwife or GP practice can give you a full list of recommended vaccines prior to and during pregnancy – vaccinations really do save lives and prevent illness.”

Vaccines can take up to three weeks to become fully effective after being administered, it is therefore imperative that before you travel abroad or enjoy crowded summer activities such as festivals you get vaccinated to prevent becoming unwell.

If you or your baby have any signs or symptoms of whooping cough, measles, or Covid-19 protect others and call NHS 111 or your GP practice for guidance, do not go to A&E or your GP practice in person to avoid spreading infection further. In the event of a life-threatening, medical emergency dial 999.